Manatee's road to the state semifinals

Manatee 45, Bayshore 0

Sept. 4: Mike Blakely took a shovel pass 86 yards for a TD on the second play of the game, and the Canes were off and running. QB Brion Carnes threw five TD passes and ran for another.

Manatee 35, Palmetto 3

Sept. 11: Carnes had another big game, running for two TDs and throwing for two, as Manatee won the first meeting between the teams since 2004.

Manatee 30, Southeast 26

Sept. 18: Taylor Shipley’s fourth-quarter fumble recovery set up Carnes’ game-winning TD run with less than four minutes left, helping the Canes beat the Noles for a third straight year and evening the overall series at 14.

Manatee 35, Lakewood Ranch 14

Oct. 2: Lakewood Ranch led 7-0 after the first quarter, but Shaunski Lawrence had two INTs and recovered a Mustangs fumble in the end zone for a TD.

Manatee 35, Sarasota 20

Oct. 9: Blakely had a touchdown rushing, receiving and returning a kickoff in the Class 5A-District 10 opener.

Manatee 14, Braden River 7

Oct. 16: The Canes clinched the county’s first football championship when Lawrence’s fourth-quarter INT set up a game-winning 20-yard TD run by Craig Carnes.

Manatee 27, Riverview 16

Oct. 23: After losing Blakely to a first-quarter injury, the Canes turned to Craig Carnes, who responded by rushing for 112 yards and a TD.

Venice 43, Manatee 29

Oct. 30: Indians QB Trey Burton justified the hype, throwing for 253 yards, rushing for 155 and having a hand in five TDs as Venice clinched the District 10 title.

Manatee 71, North Port 0

Nov. 6: Manatee caught a glimpse of its future when freshman QB Cord Sandberg made his varsity debut in the second half. Sandberg ran for two touchdowns and threw for one other.

Manatee 42, Booker 7

Nov. 13: The Canes capped the regular season by trouncing the Tornadoes. Blakely ran for three TDs.

Manatee 52, St. Pete Gibbs 15

Nov. 20: Manatee made quick work of the Gladiators, champions of District 9, in a Region 3 quarterfinal. Quenton Bundrage caught two TDs and had 154 receiving yards.

Manatee 21, St. Pete 7

Nov. 27: Hosting a playoff game for the first time in three years, the Canes were powered by Blakely’s 232 rushing yards and three TDs.

Manatee 31, Palm Bay Bayside 14

Dec. 4: Playing in a steady rain three hours away, the Canes cruised to their 11th regional title and third since 2005.

— John Lembo